Iran General Claims Nuclear Capability
January 7, 2005 :: Geostrategy-Direct :: News
One of Iran’s generals stated on December 28 that Iran has nuclear capability and threatened to use them against the United States if it is attacked, according to a news report by Geostrategy-Direct.
General Qassem Shabani said during a speech at Qom University, that “At present we have manufactured some weapons and acquired nuclear capabilities…In the event of war against America, we must resort to asymmetrical battles.” (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Iran, Nuclear Weapons
Israel Deploying Patriot Interceptors in Haifa
December 6, 2004 :: Ha'aretz :: News
Israel yesterday deployed a Patriot air and missile defense battery was near Haifa Bay, weeks after Hezbollah had penetrated that airspace in northern Israel with an Iranian-built unmanned drone. (Article, Link)
» Nov. 12: Debka: Patriot apparently removed before overflight, yet could have destroyed Iranian drone
» More stories on: Iran, Israel
» Missile system details for: Patriot Advanced Capability-2 (PAC-2)
Iran Developing Longer Range Missiles
December 2, 2004 :: New York Times :: News
Citing an Iranian opposition group, the New York Times today reports that Iran is secretly developing a ballistic missile of considerably longer-range than that which it currently admits to having, in part with the aid of North Korean scientists. The dissident group, also said to be a terrorist group, says the new missile would have a range of more than 1,500 miles (2,400km). Iran has already tested versions of its Shahab-3/4 with a range of 2,000km. Such a range would give the terrorist sponsoring nation the capability to target much of Europe.
Today the U.S. State Department also slapped sanctions on four Chinese entities (including one state-run firm) and one North Korean company, for their aiding Iran with its missile and weapons programs. Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs are not taking place in a vacuum, and their progress should come as no surprise. The proliferation of ballistic missile and weapons programs to Iran would seem to be a matter of high state policy for China and North Korea, as well as Russia, whose entities regularly receive similar sanctions and which is a primary contributor to Iran’s nuclear reactor programs.
Update: Dec. 3: Other reports include a more detailed description of the report by the National Council of Resistance of Iran. The council is said to have identified not one, but two longer-range missiles under development, calling them Ghadr 101 and Ghadr 110. Their ranges are said to be 2,500 and 3,000km, respectively. Reuters compares these missiles, being developed at the Hemmat Missile Industries complex, to the more advanced Scud E. Also of note is that the council described Iran’s August test of a Shahab missile as being of the Shahab-4, rather than the Shahab-3. Some have speculated that Iran’s retaining the same nomenclature for a more advanced missile may be part of a design to understate its capabilities. Iran has only admitted to having or pursuing missiles with a range of no more than 2,000km.
The council quoted by Middle East Newsline on December 2 describes the range of the Shahab-4 as between 2,000 to 3,000 kilometers—which may well be possible, but a 3,000km range for the Shahab-4 would seem to undercut the claim that a 3,000km range Ghadr missile would constitute a real improvement. (Article, Link)
» Dec. 2: State Dept. imposes sanctions on Chinese and North Korean entities
» Dec. 3: Reuters: two “Ghadr” missiles under development
» Dec. 3: Middle East Newsline: Iran-China satellite accord will aid Iranian missile accuracy
» More stories on: China, Iran, Proliferation
» Missile details: Shahab-3, Shahab-4
Iranian Interest in Space Disguise for Missile Ambitions
November 30, 2004 :: Aviation Week & Space Technology :: News
The November 29th edition of Aviation Week & Space Technology reports that Iran’s stated plans for a space program and their desire to launch a satellite into orbit in the coming year may in fact be nothing more than a thin disguise for more ambitious ballistic missile programs.
Aviation Week’s analysis that the program is a “Trojan Horse”¯ seems almost certainly correct. The technological capabilities of a long range missile are quite similar to those of a missile to put a satellite into orbit. Hence the connection between American, Russian, Chinese, Indian, and Israeli space programs to their respective missile programs. When North Korea launched a long range Taepo Dong missile over Japan in 1998, it was attempting to put a satellite into orbit. (Link)
» Sep. 20: Iran plans to launch satellite into orbit in early 2005
» Dec. 3: Iran planning 2005 satellite launch using Shahabs as boosters
» More stories on: Iran
Powell: Iran Adapting Missiles to Carry Nuclear Warheads
November 18, 2004 :: Washington Post :: News
Departing Secretary of State Colin Powell recently remarked that Iran is preparing its missile systems to carry nuclear weapons. Despite the attention to the story, however, Powell’s comments do not constitute any new revelation. Nor should they come as any surprise, especially given the aid Iran has been receiving from abroad, and in particular from China and Russia. Unless and until one puts together the pieces to see the larger geopolitical alliances responsible for proliferation, one will continue to be surprised by these numerous and apparently unrelated stories. (More »»»)
» Nov. 18: Interfax: Russia will continue to aid Iran’s nuclear program
» Apr. 27: John Bolton: Russia China proliferating; Iran lying about peaceful character of nuclear program
» Nov. 18: Powell remarks on Iranian nuclear modifications to missiles
» More stories on: China, Iran, Nuclear Weapons, Proliferation
» Missile details: Shahab-3, Shahab-4
Iran Can Mass Produce Shahab
November 9, 2004 :: BBC :: News
Defense Minister Ali Shamkhani today announced that Iran is now capable of mass producing its Shahab-3 ballistic missile. “We are presently able to mass-produce the Shahab-3, just like we do with the Paykan,” the minister said, referring to Iran’s ubiquitous national automobile.
Shamkhani said that Iran had mastered the necessary technology, and that there were no limits on production. Shamkhani denied that Iran would be developing a longer range missile, and that current increases in range (to 2,000km) were for the purpose of being able to fire it from anywhere in Iran. “These are Zionist words and their intention is to suggest Iran is seeking to threaten Europe…We don’t feel any threat from Europe and we don’t see the need to invest in this field.” (More »»»)
» More stories on: Iran
» Missile details: Shahab-3, Shahab-4
Iran Again Tests Shahab-3
October 20, 2004 :: AFP :: News
Defense Minister Ali Shamkhani announced that Iran had today again tested an upgraded version of its Shahab-3 ballistic missile, in the presence of observers. Shamkhani would not comment on the specific range or the location of the test, but Iran has previously claimed that the “strategic” missile has a range of 2,000km; Iran’s IRNA news agency last month quoted former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani that Iran possessed that capability. Such a range not only threatens Israel, but also U.S. bases in the region and parts of Europe. Rafsanjani also commented at the time, “Experts know that a country that possesses this [range] can obtain all subsequent stages in missile production.”
On October 7, Nasser Maleki, the deputy director of Iran’s aerospace industry organization, commented that “Very certainly we are going to improve our Shahab-3 and all of our other missiles.”
Iran’s ballistic missile development has been steady, and not without foreign help. The recent upgrades to the Shahab-3 are believed to be due in part to Chinese assistance, including a more accurate guidance system and an improved warhead more suited to carryign chemical weapons. Hours after today’s test, the Moscow News carried a piece boasting that the Iranian Shahab-3, and the North Korean No-Dong from which it was partly derived, both employ Russian missile technology. (Article, Link)
» Iran’s Revolutionary Guard acquiring greater control
» Oct. 20: Moscow News: Russian missile tech used for Iranian, North Korean advances
» More stories on: Iran, North Korea, Proliferation, Russia, Testing - Foreign
» Missile details: Shahab-3, Shahab-4
Iraq Nuclear Sites Systematically Dismantled
October 15, 2004 :: CNN :: News
The Associated Press and other news agencies have reported that a number of Iraqi nuclear sites show evidence of having been systematically emptied, and their materials removed. The removal apparently took place even after the invasion of Iraq in 2003, and continued through 2004.
The Duelfer report, released last week, also suggested that large quantities of materials, possibly weapons of mass destruction related, had gone to Syria before the war began.
These revelations again point to the possibility that Iraqi weapons of mass destruction did in fact exist, and may yet be found. But their removal serves to significantly undermine the rationale for the war, and the impetus for future preemptive strikes against, for example, Iran and North Korea.
News of the removal comes alongside the annoucement that the Russian-supported nuclear reactor in Iran is now complete. (Article, Link)
» Oct. 14, 2004: Iran nuclear reactor now complete
» More stories on: Iran, Iraq, Nuclear Weapons
Iran Deploys Scud Missiles on Ships
October 14, 2004 :: Middle East Newsline :: News
Citing U.S. officials, Middle East Newsline today reports that Iran has deployed a number of short-range and medium-range Scud ballistic missiles aboard cargo vessels, and equipped them to be launched from the ships. The ships are said to be stationed in the northern Persian Gulf and the Straits of Hormuz. The officials also said that Iran began deployment of ship-based missiles in 1997, and that several such vessels are already so equipped. (Link)
» Aug. 18, 2004: Rumsfeld again warns of danger by ship launched missile
» Oct. 24, 2002: Wolfowitz warns of ship launched threat
» Oct. 21, 2004: Rumsfeld on rogue state test of ship-launched missile
» More stories on: Iran, Ship-Launched Threat
» Missile details: Scud B variant, Scud C variant
Iran: Missiles Can Now Hit Europe
October 6, 2004 :: News
Iran is increasing its already much-publicized claims for its Shahab-3 and Shahab-4 missiles, which it continues to test and upgrade. This past week, Iran reported again that the Shahab-4 missile has a range of some 2,000 km, and that parts of Europe are now within range. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Iran
» Missile details: Shahab-3, Shahab-4
